Functional Fitness: for Everyday Strength
What is it?
Otherwise known as functional training, this fitness trend is blowing up in the gym community with more full-body sessions and feeling the results in day-to-day movements. Instead of focusing each day of the week on individual muscle groups, functional exercises train them together while building on balance, stability and mobility too.
Has it replaced traditional strength training? Not entirely. For example, if you want to improve your overall fitness and strength, then functional fitness is perfect for you. However, if you want to sculpt and add more muscle to particular areas of your body, then traditional strength and resistance training are still your best bet.
How does it help?
Functional training combines muscle groups in each exercise, providing quicker results and effects than training isolated parts. This convenience and optimised way of training is what has attracted many to the functional fitness trend. Here are some of the physical benefits of functional exercises.
Improves core stability, helping balance and movement.
Corrects posture.
Improves mobility and flexibility.
Boosts overall fitness.
Reduces risk of injury in day-to-day activities, sports and other training exercises.
With these improvements, trainers find that seemingly simple tasks like getting up off the floor, picking up shopping, or even sitting at their desk are easier to perform. Their bodies are not struggling so much with aches, pains and stiffness as was the norm.
Workouts.
Ready to try out some functional exercises? Exercises can be customised to suit your fitness level at the gym. Why not try them out and tag us in your progress @richmondhillhealthclub.
Squats
Front squat - 10/15kg plate
Plyometric box - Jump squats
Overhead walking Lunges
Planks
Palm plank
Side plank
Mountain Climbers
Lifting
Kettlebell deadlift
Single-leg deadlift
Pullups or Assisted Pull ups (resistance machine)
Classes.
At Richmond Hill Health Club, we have classes designed to train multi-muscle groups at different levels so that you can build strength through full-body workouts in a fun, group class.
Low Impact
These classes are designed to be more gentle while improving mobility, balance and strength. These exercises are great for all fitness levels and particularly for older adults wanting to boost mobility to reduce stiffness and stay fit.
Kettlebells
In these Kettlercise classes, you will work every muscle group in one class to build core stability, improve endurance and burn calories through exercise using lighter kettlebells in a non-stop session.
Already a member? Book a class now to add functional training to your gym routine. If not, take a look at our memberships or offers page to join the Richmond Hill Health Club community.
